A SAMSUNG chief has revealed the company is spending billions of dollars on artificial intelligence, and hopes to convince you there’s nothing to fear.

His comments at this week’s IFA tech show in Berlin go against countless warnings over AI from the likes of Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk.

4

Samsung Electronics chief HS Kim said the company aims to help consumers stop fearing AICredit: The Sun

AI, or artificial intelligence, is a type of computer technology that thinks for itself – getting smarter over time, and responding to your requests like a human would.

"For nearly a decade, we’ve been leading the global research and development race to unleash the power of AI…for consumers," said HS Kim, CEO of Samsung Electronics.

"Last year alone we invested $14billion in research and development.

"We also committed $22billion of investment over the next three years to advance AI…"

4

HS Kim heads up Samsung Electronics, which has its own artificial intelligence – named 'Bixby'Credit: Samsung

4

You can access Bixby on some Samsung smartphones, including this year's Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9Credit: Samsung

There's no shortage of AI devices out in the wild today.

Amazon kicked off the recent AI revolution with its Amazon Echo smart speaker, powered by the Alexa digital assistant.

Google and Apple quickly followed suit with their own smart speakers, the Google Home and the Siri-powered Apple HomePod.

Samsung has its own artificial intelligence too, called Bixby – it's available on select Samsung smartphones.

"In the short time that voice assistants have been available, it’s clear that they are becoming integral to the way people search for information," Kim explained.

"With an estimated 600million people using voice-activated assistants at least once a week globally, devices like this are the future of smart technology in the home."

4

AI is increasingly common in homes – with the Amazon Echo's Alexa assistant being one of the most well-known examplesCredit: Amazon

But Samsung faces a big problem: lots of people are terrified of AI.

It's not just everyday gadget fans that are scared either – some of the biggest names in tech and science have warned over AI going rogue.

The late Professor Stephen Hawking once said: "I fear that AI may replace humans altogether. If people design computer viruses, someone will design AI that improves and replicates itself. This will be a new form of life that outperforms humans."

And Tesla, PayPal and SpaceX founder Elon Musk warned that AI poses a "fundamental risk to the existence of civilisation".

Amazon Echo accused of snooping on woman's private conversation

Samsung's HS Kim admits this is a concern: "We need to empower people to feel like they have control over the future we are working to create.

"Our goal is to open their minds to the potential of AI without fear it may take over their lives.

"We’ll do this through intelligent experiences that put people first. That are fun and safe, that learn and adapt to meet people’s changing needs."

Kim revealed how Samsung has opened research centres for AI in the UK and US, as well as Russia, Canada and its home turf of South Korea.

He added: "By 2020, we expect to have thousands of AI experts working at Samsung labs around the world."

MOST READ IN TECH

Competition

HAUL OF BOOTY

Win a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare beta key for Xbox One or PC

STARGAZERS' DELIGHT

Stunning pics show rare full 'micro moon' light up the night sky

CORE OF THE PROBLEM?

Apple engineer says pressure to design iPhone is reason I’m divorced

SPACE INVADER

Asteroid twice as big as Empire State Building flies past Earth at 14,400mph

WHOLE NEW WORLD

Lost continent the size of Greenland has hidden under Europe for 140m years

HAUNTING!

Dead bodies 'move' for a YEAR as corpse study reveals spooky post-death shuffle

Earlier this year, The Sun spoke to leading futurologist Dr Ian Pearson, who warned that the risk of global robot domination was very real.

"We'll have trained [artificial intelligence] to be like us, trained it to feel emotions like us, but it won't be like us. It will be a bit like aliens off Star Trek – smarter and more calculated in its actions," he explained.

"It will be insensitive to humans, viewing us as barbaric. So when it decides to carry out its own experiments, with viruses that it's created, it will treat us like guinea pigs."